


Brotherhood

by SayuriVampire



Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Brotherhood, Family, Family Drama, Hurt/Comfort, Terminal Illnesses
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-09
Updated: 2016-03-09
Packaged: 2018-05-25 17:08:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,193
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6203770
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SayuriVampire/pseuds/SayuriVampire
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Luffy is diagnosed with terminal disease he decides to write a journal to his deceased older brother, Sabo, to tell him about family he left behind. Ace doesn't approve, Law breaks. Modern AU. OOC characters. Luffy centric. - Reposted from FF.net and Wattpad</p>
            </blockquote>





	Brotherhood

_13 August_

Two years passed from your death, Sabo, and we still haven't really been able to cope with it. You were the most sensible and rational one of us and without you, we’re so lost. You remember our last conversation? About our brotherhood being the biggest treasure of all for us? This didn’t change. Even with you gone, Law, Ace and I are as close siblings as one can get and none of us is actually blood related like you and Ace were. Ace. He’s not well, Sabo, never has been again after your death, after losing his twin. All this smiles, pranks and cocky remarks that he throws around so much are for show and it’s so painful to watch him do that to himself! Yet, neither Law nor me can really call him on it since we have never recovered either.  Law thrown himself into his studies hell bent on becoming the greatest doctor in the world so he wouldn’t have to watch his precious people die before his very eyes – like his parents, his sister and then like you.  He became so up-tight and sarcastic that sometimes I can’t recognize him but it’s still better than his behavior after grandpa brought him to us. You probably remember it better than me – with you being 10 and me only 5 at that time. But I never could forget his eyes so broken, so lost, nearly devoid of all life.  But he became our oldest brother and we healed him. It’s sad that we can’t heal ourselves like that now. Wow, I got so sidetracked from my original purpose for writing it that it hurts. You know Sabo, you’re going to have to put up with me for a while. I’m dying. Yup, you heard it right. Cancer. That’s why I decided to write this journal ( I refuse to call it a dairy) to share my thoughts and feelings in my last months with you and to leave something for grandpa and Law and Ace to carry on. I want them to know that I plan to live the rest of my life that way so I won’t have any regrets. Huh, I think it’s enough for the first entry, don’t you? I'll write soon, I promise.

_28 August_

I’m really, really sorry Sabo. I promised to write soon and yet it took me 15 days to do so. I’m so ashamed of myself! Living you waiting like that! So thoughtless of me!  ( At least that’s what Law says when he forgets something important no matter how rare that is.) They caged me to bed, now I can’t leave hospital no matter what happens. It’s so~~~~  boring here I think I may start reading to “alleviate” my boredom ( that means to “take care of it” or “loosen it”. Law says you would know but I’m not taking any chances, his a geek in the family not you and surely not me).  Law took to seating with me while I write to you  helping me with my grammar and vocabulary ( that’s how I know all these hard words). You know, Ace threw a fit when he found out my journal? It took both grandpa and Law to quit him down and he still refuses to talk to me ‘cause of it.  He shouted something about the past, stupid younger brothers, not letting go and some other stuff like that. At some point he must have said something really mean just like when we were kids because Law punched him. And Law _despises_ violence as much as I being alone. So, yeah, really mean. Ace was so shocked that he froze over right there and had this really stupid face, like, what the heck, face. And then he stormed off to one of his friends. Stayed there for four days, too, before coming back. Grandpa was furious! Mostly happy that he was alright but still pretty much mad at his carelessness. I can’t say that I understand all that because, frankly, I don’t. I've never been good with all this complicated stuff and both Law and Ace aren’t any better at it, either. You were the most empathic of us and you always jumped up into a role of a peacemaker, with Law being the dependable one, Ace the creative one and me being the cheerful and uplifting one of us (Law words). So without you it takes AGES before one of us gets the guts to actually apologize for his actions to other. And Law and Ace still argue like crazy over the smallest things, like which pizza is better or whatever movie we’re going to watch tonight and so forth and so on. But that’s part of who we are and I wouldn’t change it for anything.

_6 October_

Wow, it’s the third, Law’s 18th birthday. He’s finally going to be of age.  Which means a lot more freedom for him and double responsibilities. And because of that I don’t know if it's worth all this headaches or not. So today I’m going to cut it short. I got cleared by doctors so I could attend Law’s party. I can’t wait to finally see everyone without any kind of restrictions. I heard that even uncle Crocodile is going to show up! Law's got to be happy, he' always been his favorite one (probably since he was the only one that didn’t treat him like a kid).  I heard grandpa shout down the hall. He’s still as obnoxious as ever so you don’t need to worry about him. If chasing criminals every day and raising four boys didn’t wear him out I don’t think that anything can.

_7 October_

Sabo, I wish you could have been there with us! The party was great! All family managed to get their lazy bones and come to celebrate Law's birthday. What started as a small, modest party astonishingly quickly escalated into one of the biggest and rowdiest gatherings of all time in our ever-so-big  and ever-so-loving family. I swear that Law was even crying at some point, that how much it all meant to him. (Grandpa was crying too, though I think it was because of all the money that he has to paid for it.) With all this insecurities that he has, knowing that he is important to so many people must have been a breakthrough for him.  Yeah, you read it even right now he still has ( or I think _had_ ) them.  Funny, no? How for someone so smart sometimes Law can be so _dumb._ But, no matter, I think his birthday was eye-opening for him. I know they were for me, I’m no longer as terrified as I was earlier about leaving them. They'll manage. They have our family and friends beside them and they are our brothers, aren’t they, Sabo?

_12 October_

Ace was hit by a black sedan, he's in coma. Doctors say not to expect miracles. Still looking for a suspect. God, Sabo, he has been hit! How, why… It’s not fair! Why us! Not again! I can’t lose another brother! Not now, not ever!  I came to write you an explanation and yet the only thing that comes to my mind are murderous plans for when they find that jackass that hit him. I’m in pieces, Sabo. It’s awful. I don’t know what to do. No. My bad. _I can’t do anything!_ I’m stuck in this hospital bed and I can’t even go two stories higher to see my brother. It’s agonizing. No, it’s beyond agonizing. It’s pure torture. And that’s not even _half_ of it. Law, he… To say he's miserable would be an understatement. First, his family died before his very eyes, then one of his new found brothers dies in a car accident, then his youngest brother lands in hospital with (probably) terminal disease . And now this. Oh God, Sabo! You didn’t see him. No, you wouldn’t want to see. Believe, I wish I hadn't. That… that wasn’t Law. Law doesn’t scream till his throat is beyond soar, he doesn’t rip his hair out or lash out on people like some kind of a wild beast. Law never stops so low to vandalize anything. But, more than that, Law never has this hollow, unseeing eyes. Even when grandpa took him in, his eyes were cold and distant but never, _never_ emotionless. I don’t want to see this void look on him ever again.  I can even come close to how frightening it was. Please, never again. Doctor Kureha had to sedate him and strap him to bed so he wouldn’t hurt himself or other patients. I don’t want to be there when he wakes up. It was painful enough to watch it once, I don’t know if I could manage a repeat, even more so with Ace in that condition.

_23 November_

Hi, Sabo. Been two months, huh? Sorry I didn’t write. You were probably dead worried about us, weren’t you? If so, then I have some really good news for you. Ace's awake! Just about a week ago he woke up from his coma. He still can’t talk too well and the mere notion of him standing on his feet right now is laughable but his conscious and aware and that’s more than we could ask for. With how small chances doctors were giving him it’s clearly a miracle.  Law’s a lot better, too. After his episode in hospital they sent him to that psychologist Hawn~, Haewn~, Hyewn~. Ah, scratch it, let’s call him H-something (HS for short) to “talk through his obvious problems with regards to his self-esteem and insecurities” or something along this line. Angered him much, too. I think that if he had been able to he would’ve “ripped his throat after subjecting him to the most agonizing, creative and slow tortures known to mankind” (Law's words, not mine). Yeah, a typical doctor's syndrome – I can examine you but you wish you could do the same to me. How was this saying going again? “Doctors are the worst patients?” No matter. All that counts is that both Law and Ace are all right and I’m the only one at death bed. I hope it'll remain like that. I can’t go through something like that again. I _refuse_ to go through something like that again. It hurts too much.

_15 December_

I’m horrible at deadlines – it took me a whole month to write again!  Sorry for that, Sabo. But that month was way beyond crazy. With Ace recovering, Law getting his mental state cleared by HS (yeah, I still don’t know his name), Grandpa case (his really concerned by that one) and Christmas preparation my head was all over place.  But, finally, I have some free time to write to you. And believe me, the fact that I’m in hospital doesn't make it easier to write - quite the opposite, actually. With quest all the time, examinations and treatments I don’t have much free time if any at all. Not to mention that annoying crammer that’s teaching me 4 hours a day per grandpa request – he said that I can’t drop my education since it would be bothersome to catch up when they release me. Not if but when he said. I thought I'd tear up then and there. Grandpa's amazing. Well, I don’t have much more time – visiting hours start in a few... Gonna go Sabo, bye!

_9 January_

Sabo you’re not going to believe it, I’m free! (Well, mostly. ) Yesterday I had a check-up and doctors said I was practically of the hook and can return home. Grandpa was thrilled. I still have to come for regular treatments and check-ups but still, I’m out of this hellhole. I don’t know how some people could willingly spend their time in hospitals, it’s awful! Law gave a hearty laugh at that one and Ace couldn’t really hide the lingering amusement and then nodded approvingly when Law wasn’t watching. He himself was released only two weeks prior and still has to use crutches. Because of that he's really cranky but it could’ve been worse so I’m not going to complain about it. Even if I’m hospital-free I’m still caged to our house for at least a month to make sure that my condition won’t worsen. You know, Sabo? After hearing this news I’ve decided that these entry would be my last one. I can’t keep writing to you at home (all this was kept from grandpa for a reason) and besides I don’t think me or you really need it any more. My last conversation with Zoro ( you know him, right? My best friend since the first grade. ) made me realize something. It’s that I don’t have to write to you for you to be in my life and that you’re always watching over us. And I know after all these mini miracles I’m inclined ( Law taught me that one!) to believe it. So wherever you are, Sabo, take care of yourself and don’t worry too much about us or you'll go bald. And remember, we love you no matter what. Farewell our brother.


End file.
